I am freakin' PISSED.

OSIK. I knew LucasFilm wasn't treating their authors with the respect they deserve, and now I have more proof than ever. Thanks to their antics with this new Clone Wars kid show, Karen Traviss' work is going to be...not canon. Which means, according to our beloved Mr. Lucas, it doesn't matter, didn't happen, and that, therefore, years of Ms. Traviss' sweat and blood can be obliterated with a 30-minute episode.

What kinds of changes are these bozos making that are screwing up an ENTIRE STORY LINE? Here's the pertinent part of her blog entry:

I can't discuss the canon issues because of the standard non-disclosure agreement that all writers sign. I'm not even going to discuss the ones that are public now, and I know little of the full detail anyway. So please don't ask me. All I can say is that I was given enough of the detail in January to realise that changes in continuity were such that I wouldn't be able to carry on as originally planned with the storylines you were expecting to see continued in my books. It would have required a lot more than routine retcon.

The only solution I could think of that could accommodate the changes was a complete reboot, and I seriously considered doing that. But starting over, when I had so many other books on my plate? The knock-on effect on my other work was a problem, because most of my income doesn't come from Star Wars. And then there was the risk of alienating readers. Pulling the rug from under them after so many books - that wouldn't go down well, and "I was only following orders" doesn't appease anybody these days.

The canon is beyond my control, because that's the very nature of tie-in work. But that still left me with some personal choices I had to make. I could try to make the retcons. Or I could switch to different SW books that weren't affected by these changes. Or I could decide to call it a day - I had a great run, but I had an increasing amount of non-SW work to get on with that was more important to my business.

In the end, the only rational decision I could take was to make Imperial Commando #2 my last book for Star Wars. I'm sorry I had to do that, and it wasn't a decision I took lightly or even quickly, so bear with me while I explain.

Obviously, in business, there are always multiple reasons behind any decision. Some of my influencing factors were business ones about contractual matters, but that's dull and of no interest to the customer. Let's stick to what concerns you, which is the story.

Rather than switch to vastly altered storylines in which many of the characters whose lives you've been following for the last five years wouldn't exist, or move across to other SW areas, I decided this was a natural point at which to make the break.


What is this going to mean for Darman, and Niner, and the Nulls, and Kad, and ALL the characters we Mando'ade have come to know and love? Lucas, you need to start realizing that just because you own the rights, DOESN'T mean you own Star Wars. This is way bigger than you now. There is a fandom of MILLIONS around the world, and your quest to get a bigger buck has made them angry.

OSIK. That is all. [/rant]

Spiritual Warfare

I saw this article today, and while it made me a bit exasperated, it also made me wonder when things will get deadly. Check it out:

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=589292

According to the Associated Press, someone sent a white powder to the Christian Broadcasting Network's headquarters in Virginia. No, it wasn't anthrax--it was whey powder. But it really messed up a few peoples' day; three CBN employees and the mailman were put on medical watch for six hours.

This made me angry for a few reasons. One, it's a really scary (and expensive) stunt to pull. How did those people feel while they were isolated, waiting for lab results? And who paid for the lab to analyze this stuff? These people couldn't work for six hours--that cost them, the CBN, and the US Postal Service money, too. Another reason is because it's such a throwback to the terror that followed September 1, 2001. Weren't you scared that your family would be the next to get an envelope from people that hated America?

The main reason I'm concerned, though, is because of who the target was. The CHRISTIAN Broadcasting Network. Not MSNBC, not CNN, not FOX, not any of the mainstream media that would cause a major stir. This potentially deadly envelope was sent to Christians.

You would be surprised how much Christians are being persecuted nowadays. Kids that want to form Christian clubs at schools are turned down; Christian professors are denied tenure; Christian scientists are banned from publishing in scientific journals. People used to respectfully disagree with my faith; now they openly mock it. Even though I have many gay friends (I'm a musician, after all!), I have been called a bigot and a homophobe because I disagree with my friends' lifestyles and I don't believe in gay marriage, nor do I agree that it would be best for America.

These are just a few examples of the concerted effort to keep Christians quiet. And yet, many Christians still insist that things are just peachy! Do they not see what is happening? The number of people that claim they are Christians has dropped dramatically in the last 25 years, and even more worrying, a HUGE portion of those that are left don't act like Christians at all. I know plenty of people that curse like sailors--until they set foot in church. Then they are model Christians for all to see, but when they step out the doors again, the charade fades and the rest of the world sees what these people really are.

I could go on and on, and I probably will later. But for now, let me leave you with this warning: Satan doesn't attack the people that are already lost. He slithers his way into the thoughts of good Christians, whispering, "Gay marriage won't be so bad." "What's wrong with women having abortions? It's their bodies; it should be their choices." "Everyone else cusses. Why shouldn't I?" And when we start going against what the Bible says--when we let the world have just a little more sway over our actions--we lose our case for out faith before the trial even begins, and Satan wins.

I have a JOB! But why doesn't anyone else?

Hallelujah, I found a job! Right now South Carolina has an 11.4% unemployment rate, so I do believe it's a miracle. I am now an employee of Books-A-Million for the third summer in a row.
This store is much smaller than the one I worked at previously, at least in terms of merchandise. This could be good and bad. I'll have to put on more Southern Charm to sell discount cards.

I saw an article in Time a while back that discussed how the terminology of the wealthy has changed. We used to talk about what we owned, you know? I have a nice car. I have a great house. Or else we talked about where we went to school or what degree we had. But now we talk about our jobs.

What does this say about how our economy is working? A few years ago we felt secure enough to spend. We felt sure we could go to school. But now student loans are scarce, grants are getting cut, and people all over are losing their jobs. Personally, I think we've skipped the recession and gone straight to a depression, but you know the big wigs won't ever say that. Can you imagine the panic? We saw how crazy people went over the swine flu. I went to the doc today for a sinus infection, and they drew blood to test "on a hunch." Sorry guys, but I don't appreciate feeling lightheaded so that you can relieve your paranoia.

Having a job is our new measure of wealth. Especially a job that has security! If you can say "I do have a job! It only pays eight dollars an hour, but I know I'll still have it in six months," you can feel that you are better off than someone who is working in a major corporation facing bankruptcy. Their salary might be better than yours, but they are making back-up plans and making sure their resumes are up-to-date. You can focus on working and waiting for things to look up.

I have my own plan. Well, a back-up plan. I knew going into school that I was going to have problems finding a job as a music teacher--especially with the way music programs are getting cut. So I'm minoring in Spanish with the goal of being a bilingual band director and possibly heading to Texas. Very few music teachers have time to study a language in-depth, and the fact that I can speak a language that is necessary in the public school system should help me out. And working for the same company every summer should prove that I'm consistent, right?

Yes, I have a plan. But what about all those guys who worked for the same company for 30 years just to have their pensions cut? I don't know about you guys, but I was FURIOUS when I heard about the AIG bailout. Thank goodness for Randy Forbes; he at least had some sense. Here's a quote from his e-mail newsletter The Capitol Monitor (dated Mar. 21, 2009):

Imagine a situation where a husband goes out one day and, in the midst of the current economic situation, decides to buy an expensive new boat. A few weeks later, the bill comes in the mail. His wife opens the bill, steaming as she realizes what he’s done and sees the monthly payment they will now have to make on top of all of their other monthly commitments. As her husband walks into the room, she throws the bill across the table demanding an explanation. Her husband looks down at the bill. Realizing he can’t make the payments and seeing how mad his wife is, he pounds his first on the table and says angrily, “Honey, I am outraged over this bill that we have to pay!”

This situation seems like a scene we’d find ourselves watching on a Thursday evening sitcom. In reality, it is what we found ourselves watching on the news this week as Members of Congress and members of the Administration pounded their fists and cried “outrage” over taxpayer-funded bonuses that went to AIG executives. In fact, the word “outrage” was used in almost every speech on this issue on the House floor this week.

As I watched those Members express “outrage,” I couldn’t help but be irritated about their outrage. I am one of only 17 out of 435 Members of Congress who voted against every single one of the so-called bailout and stimulus packages under both Presidents Bush and Obama. I did so for the very reason that there was no accountability over where the money would actually go. Without accountability and transparency, we will have waste, fraud, and abuse. In fact, there was not even time to read most of the bills before leadership rushed to pass them.

Are these guys so out-of-touch that they didn't realize what would happen? WAKE UP! As John Rich's song puts it, "In the real world, they're shuttin' Detroit down." I know a family whose small business collapsed, and they had to file for bankruptcy. After they moved, the parents found new jobs, and they got back on their feet...well, now they've both lost jobs again. What are they supposed to do?

Or how about my roommate? She relies on grant money and scholarships to go to school. Well, the funding was cut for her grant program, and she found out last month that she can't afford to live here anymore. She's afraid that she may not even be able to afford to go back to school next semester. She's working three jobs to try to keep things together.

My boyfriend is going to school and working full-time, but he's having trouble making ends meet, too. How are you supposed to make money in a commission-based job if no one is buying anything? I'm sure he won't ever admit it to me, but his family's sweating it right now.

The school district where I grew up has had $53 million cut from its budget. This is a county that has 38 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, 11 high schools, and a tech center! If anything, this place needs more money, especially with the population influx. All the schools are overcrowded. The special ed departments all over are losing workers, the front offices are losing staff...things are looking bleak.

So what can we do?

Let's pray, people. Because I have a feeling that things are going to get worse before they get better. But in the meantime, DON'T PANIC. We all know what happened in 1929...

I suppose I'll be known for sporadic entries. But that's okay; that means I actually have a life, one that I am constantly living instead of analyzing.

This week is Spring Break, and it has been a welcome relief. I needed a break from all the pressures of school as well as a chance to see my family and boyfriend. I'm trying to use the time to catch up, and while I have almost finished a Spanish assignment, not much else has been accomplished...nothing uberly important, anyway. I have been working on a set of cardboard Mandalorian armor, but that's not remotely school-, work- or music-related and can thus be filed under the label "useless hobbies".

But I have fallen in love with the idea of armor. I found the Mandalorian Mercs a couple months back, and I have never experienced a more helpful online community. Within minutes I was warmly welcomed on the forums and was given far more advice than I knew what to do with! If you would like to see any progress on my armor, the link is here:

http://mercs.firespray.net/forum/index.php?topic=11649.0

Other than that...I am hard at work on my recital, I have two concerts and a gig in the next two or three weeks, and District Convention is coming up for TBS and KKY. I also had a GREAT first ladies' Bible Study last week and am looking forward to the next one!

Outback Bowl or Bust!

So I find it ironic that I have internet on the bus, of all places, and not the hotel room. Ah, well. Stranger things have happened.

Today the band has practice, a meeting, and a pep rally. Then we get turned loose in Busch Gardens! Busch Gardens Williamsburg is one of my favorite places in the world, so I can't wait to see what the one in Tampa is like. And one of my friends turned 21 at midnight, so he is going to have a blast at a theme park made by a beer company.

The weather is WONDERFUL. It's 63 and partly cloudy, and the high today will be 71! I need to call my friends in New York and rub it in their faces, because the last time I talked to them it was 7 degrees and snowing hard.

I am going to use the time between activities to a) work on the women's Bible study I plan to start this semester, and b) work on my geeky fanfiction. Stay tuned for updates!

All the Single Ladies...or Gentlemen...

So my sister showed me this a few weeks ago, and I've had fun pointing it out. Have you ever seen this video of Beyonce?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REHbgBPkvEE

Now...watch it again, and tell me which one of them is a man.

Sorry to disappoint you, boys, but I don't think you'd like to meet one of those "single ladies"...

The Joys of the Holidays

Since I am cooped up in the house with walking pneumonia, I've had a bit of time to just lay in bed and think. (My eyes do need a break from reading sometime.) And I decided that, even though I'm about to cough a lung up, I have a lot that's making me happy now. Just a short list:

• Mom helped me balance my bank statements. I've got three to go. (This is what you get when you let your finances go for months.)
  
• My sister got home from college safe and sound. She promptly left to go to a friend's house, but hey, that's what she does!
• I got to help put up the Christmas village this year. I've missed out the last two years because I couldn't come home for Thanksgiving Break, but this year I was able to be here for a couple of days. We pulled down all the boxes, got the nook above the fireplace set up, and went to town. And my boyfriend got to help, too. Right now the fireplace is going, the village is all lit up, and the house is nice and cozy. I don't know why, but the village always makes me happy. : )
• I finished reading the Legacy of the Force series today, and it was great, even though it made me cry.
• I got to stay in bed ALL DAY.
• I offered to be a beta for a girl writing a fanfiction, and she just sent me the first chapter. I will start reading it as soon as I figure out all my financial crap.
• My boyfriend gets off work at 10, and I will see him after that!

I know these are random, but hey...the random things in life are the ones worth celebrating. Have a merry RamaHanuKwanzMas, or whatever the politically correct term is now!